Soothing Nightmares
by ev1lregal
Summary: *unconventional* Prompt: Swan Queen. Kink – suckling, comfort. "She had accidentally - and thankfully - discovered a way to offer the kind of comfort and safeness the Saviour had always craved and been denied." One-shot


**Disclaimer:** I do not own Once Upon a Time

**A/N:** This was written for a prompt that has been left in my tumblr inbox which was: kink - suckling, comfort. The rating is mostly because this is an unusual form of comfort and I wasn't sure how to rate it. There is no sexual content. It was originally a one-shot, but some lovely people over at AO3 convinced me to make it a two-shot. Next chapter is in the making. Hope you enjoy!

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><p>Regina was pulled from her slumber by a continuous low whine. She pushed herself up on her elbows, and with a precise flick of the wrist, she switched the nightstand lamp on, bathing the room in a warm soft glow.<p>

The Queen turned on her side to face the source of the plaintive cry. Beside her laid the Saviour, blonde hair sprawled on her pillow, her brow pinched in a frown and a thin sheen of sweat coated her forehead and what was visible of her upper chest. She was still except for the rhythmic loll of her head slowly going from left to right. Her lips slightly apart, allowing the escape of a steady whimper.

"Shhh, Darling," Regina whispered softly, caressing Emma's creased forehead gently with her thumb. "You're okay, you're safe. We're home." The words – or maybe it was the sound of the Queen's voice – seemed to soothe her distress. With a sleepy hum, Emma rolled on her side, tucking her head under Regina's chin, nuzzling her neck.

The Queen draped a protective arm over her and ran her fingers through blonde tresses damp with sweat. The slow and regular rise and fall of Emma's chest against her own was lulling, and Regina gradually drifted back into sleep.

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><p>Since returning home from Neverland, nightmares had become a common occurrence for the Saviour. The dark realm had awakened demons Emma had thought had been banished long ago. Memories of past abandonments and neglect and horrifying dreams had been plaguing her nights relentlessly. After a week, Regina had figured out that waking her lover in the midst of a nightmare only made things worse. Emma would wake up panicked and disoriented, and Regina had had to use magic to restrain her a few times when the Saviour, still in the throes of a flashback, would attack her. When Emma wasn't physically lashing out, her magic, uncontrolled, would crackle loudly, and send random objects flying around the room.<p>

So after a few disastrous attempts at pulling Emma out of her nightmares, Regina had started to simply draw her sleeping lover closer to her and croon comforting words, while stroking her hair and caressing her cheek until she would calm down.

It hadn't been until a few weeks later, when the Queen had been utterly exhausted, that she had accidentally - and thankfully - discovered a way to offer the kind of comfort and safeness the Saviour had always craved and been denied, as well as soothe her nightmares almost instantly.

Emma had woken her up for the third time that night, thrashing wildly and begging an invisible monster to let her go. Regina had wanted to brush Emma's hair off her face, but her slow, sluggish movements and a sudden jerk of the Saviour's head had resulted in one of her knuckles to bump against Emma's teeth. She had immediately stilled, her mouth clamping down on the digit and she had quietly started sucking, a satisfied moan leaving her lips. Regina had been so stunned she hadn't moved for several minutes, hypnotized by Emma's mouth, her jaw working restlessly, drawing her finger in and out. The Queen had then recollected the careful - almost worship like - attention Emma would always pay to her breasts during intimate moments. And, well, she added one plus one…

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><p>A jab of Emma's elbow in her side woke Regina up for the second time that night. Glancing quickly at the clock, she saw it had only been about forty-five minutes in between nightmares. Emma was getting restless in her sleep, her breathing more and more shallow, beads of perspiration pearling her forehead.<p>

"No, no, no..." She murmured, her back arching off the mattress as far as she could with Regina's arm still around her.

"It's okay, Darling. You're safe," the Queen whispered in her ear, easing her gently back down. She tightened her embrace slightly so Emma's arms wouldn't flail, but not enough for her to feel restrained.

"No... Uhmmph... I'll... Good." Emma mumbled, tears now flowing steadily, running down flushed cheeks. The Queen felt her chest squeeze, the desperation in Emma's voice shattering her once darken heart.

"You are good, Emma. So, so good. It's just a bad dream, Darling." Regina kept murmuring sweet nothings while petting her hair, hoping the nightmare she was having would end, so that Emma could finally rest.

"Regina..."

"I'm here. I'm not going anywhere." She tucked a piece of hair behind her ear and kissed her clammy forehead tenderly.

"Regina... Help... Regina, help me." The last words were breathed so softly, the Queen wasn't sure she actually heard them.

"Of course, Darling. I love you," she said, mostly for herself.

Blinking back her own tears, Regina undid the first few buttons of her night shirt, and with a shrug, let the silky fabric slid off her left shoulder revealing her breast. While whispering reassurances, Regina pulled Emma closer to her chest, cradling her head to keep it still. Twisting her upper body slightly, she took her exposed breast in her hand and brushed an erected nipple gently against Emma's bottom lip. After a few brushes, the Saviour's mouth clamped on the puckered flesh, and instinctively, she started suckling.

Regina instantly felt the tension leave the Saviour; her body melted against hers. She smiled affectionately, happy to be able to bring comfort; to relieve Emma of her torments. She looked at her for a while, observing with fascination as a serene expression slowly replaced the anguish that came with the night terrors.

Emma released a deep content sigh, making the Queen shiver when hot air was exhaled against her wet skin. Regina's nipple slipped out of Emma's mouth, but her jaw kept moving, sucking air before Regina noticed and guided her back to her breast. Finding what she was seeking, Emma clutched Regina's shirt; her fist resting atop the Queen's other breast.

She lay awake for a while, tracing patterns on Emma's back and listening to the faint suction noise. Eventually, the suckling began to slow and her hold on Regina's shirt loosened; an indication that Emma was slowly drifting into a pleasant dreaming state.

Regina kissed the top of Emma's head, and murmured, "Sweet dreams, Darling," in her ear. She stroked the side of her jaw tenderly, as she let her eyes fluttered closed.

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><p><strong>AN:** This is the first OUaT story I ever published. I would be really grateful for any comments/criticisms as long as it's respectful. Feel free to visit me on tumblr (charmingregal) and say hi!


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